The Song of Solomon 6:2, “My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.”
As a child growing up in Georgia, I can remember watching my grandpa walk into his gardens. He worked hard so his plants would bring forth the fruits and vegetables intended. As he would walk through, sometimes he would pick something from the stalk or vine and taste it. He would look at me with a big grin as though to say, “My work has paid off, just look at the yield.”
In our study verse, we find the daughters of Jerusalem showing forth the desire to seek Solomon’s whereabouts with the Shulamite. In the previous verse they ask, “whither is thy beloved turned aside? That we may seek him with thee.” The Shulamite knew where to find him. He is in one of his gardens tasting the fruits of his labor and enjoying the riches of his kingdom. As I meditate upon the words of this verse in God’s Holy Word, there are at least three things that stand out and catch my eye quickly. (1) It is His garden; (2) It is there where they/we may find Him; (3) It is there where He is pleased while tasting/eating the fruit.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, if one were to ask you where they could find your Beloved, what would be your answer? Even though we understand that the Lord is everywhere present and nowhere absent, there is a particular place where He may be found, it is in His “garden.” The place where the fruit of His labor is manifested. The place where He walks and finds pleasure looking at and tasting the fruit of His work. This is the Church. The Church is His garden. The Church is where the fruit of His work and labor is manifested. The Church is where He walks and dwells with His precious children. Revelation 1:13 tells us that He walks “in the midst of the seven candlesticks” (which are the Churches). The Church is His; the Church, being His House, is a place where He may be found; the Church is the place where He is pleased by those who work out their salvation (to the outside that it may be seen) to His glory and praise. If you, dear child of grace are looking for Him Whom your soul loveth (because He first loved you), the House of God on Sunday morning is the place to be. Lord willing, I will be there too. Because my heart longs to fellowship with the One Who gave His precious life on the Cross of Calvary to save a wretch like me. Amen!